An average person might be wondering how hard it is to take a good photo of an athlete – just grab your phone, point the lens and press the button, simple as that. But hold on if you planned to sell that pack of images and videos you made from the stand after your last visit to the stadium. The editor-in-chief of any sports website requires much more from the sports photos than just seeing an athlete in the frame.
The art of preparation
Before the starting gun sounds, the sports photographers have already run their own marathon. They’ve scrutinised the rules of the game, studied athletes’ movements and mapped stadiums like Indiana Jones in search of lost treasure. The result? When you see an amazing picture of a goalkeeper stretching like a yoga instructor on speed, realise that the photographer probably spent more time preparing the shot than the goalkeeper did saving the ball.
Even the sport-related activities require a lot of research, take gambling as an example. Before placing a bet punter must read information on responsible gaming to understand how this world works and what to do if he feels that he needs help. Photographers scan websites that contain articles with such data to get into the head of a person they will shoot to better understand their motivation.
The magic of storytelling
Taking a great sports photo isn’t just about catching the ball in the net. It’s about capturing the soul of the sport, the atmosphere in the stands and the drama on the pitch. It’s like trying to capture an entire opera in a single photo – but with more sweaty people and less arias.
The triumph of technology
Modern sports photographers are looking more and more like gadget geeks. With cameras faster than Usain Bolt and telephoto lenses that can zoom in on the flap of a mosquito’s wings on the other side of the stadium, they capture moments the rest of us only dream of seeing. And let’s not forget the drones – the flying paparazzi that give us a bird’s eye view of sporting events without the need to hire a whole army of photographers to place them around the stands.
Behind the scenes, even the most hard-boiled football player is transformed into a prima donna-like model. Hours are spent styling hair that ends up sticking to the forehead in the heat of battle, and make-up is applied with a precision that would make a plastic surgeon envious. So the next time you see an athlete posing in an advert, remember that behind that one perfect shot are hundreds of outtakes where even the superstar looks like they just woke up from a wet night out.
The field: Where cameras go to die
Sports photographers are a hardened breed. They fight through mud baths worthy of a military bootcamp, stand for hours in rain so heavy that even fish would consider bringing umbrellas, all while balancing equipment that weighs more than a sumo wrestler after a good lunch. When you see a great sports shot, send a friendly thought to the photographer who is probably still defrosting at home after standing still for 8 hours in 20 degree cold.
Post-production: Where pixels go to party
After filming, the real work begins. In dark rooms, lit only by computer screens, the raw material is transformed into pieces of art. Colours are adjusted, scenes are cut together and graphics are added with a precision that would make a brain surgeon envious. This is where the photographer decides whether the athlete’s grimace should resemble a warrior’s battle cry or a pet dog’s disappointment over an empty bowl.
The minefield of ethics
With a camera in one hand comes a compass in the other. Sports photographers are constantly navigating an ethical minefield: where is the line between documenting an athlete’s triumph and invading their personal space? Is it okay to capture a footballer’s tears after a defeat, or should you wait until they’ve got their emotions under control and started crying in the changing room instead?
The absolute master
A crafty wizard behind the camera, a Photoshop expert and the most resilient and calm person, ready to wait for that very shot for an eternity – a sports photographer is all that and more. They always study new ways and styles of photo shooting, modernize their gear and learn about new and updated features of different editing software to immerse you with the help of still images in the world of sports as if you were at the event.
Their job is hard, but when they make that special photo, it pays for all the effort. If you see this picture online, try to look through the athlete who is depicted on it, check the name of the photographer and thank him too. The photo was a teamwork, after all, right?